Sugar is sugar?
Right? Wrong!
Too much sugar of any kind can contribute to obesity and
metabolic problems, but used in moderation, traditional cane sugar is
considered relatively safe. However,
over the past couple of decades, food manufacturers, who are always putting
profit ahead of the health of their customers have been replacing it more and
more with high fructose corn syrup, which unlike pure cane sugar, is NOT a
natural product. Fructose does not occur
naturally in corn, and is only developed through intensive chemical processing.
You may have heard that the term "natural" on
labels doesn't mean much, but legislators are starting to change that because
products that contain HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) are no longer allowed to
use the word "natural" on their labels.
Since the introduction of HFCS into the American food
supply, we are on the verge of an epidemic of lifestyle-induced health issues
including obesity, metabolic syndrome and heart disease. Excess consumption of fructose from HFCS has
been associated with other health issues such as elevated triglyceride levels,
hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, gout, and complications of
diabetes.
If you drink soda, eat packaged cakes or cookies or use
sweet spreads or syrups, you are most likely consuming a very large amount of
high fructose corn syrup. It is found
in a surprising array of foods where you might not expect it, like ketchup,
mayonnaise, bread, crackers and the snack that's thought to be healthy, but
isn't - granola bars. "Pancake
syrup" as opposed to pure maple syrup is close to 100% high fructose corn
syrup. Many "juice drinks"
contain HFCS. Buy pure juice
instead. "Table sugar" may be
cut with HFCS. Look for "pure cane
sugar" and make sure your honey is pure as well.
The food industry is always looking for ways to hide
information like this from consumers and use ingredients that will increase
their profits. The healthiest foods to
eat are fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts. Low fat meats, poultry, and fish can also be
good choices, as can free-range eggs and minimally processed dairy products. Locally produced and/or organic varieties are
best, both for you and the planet. If
you are going to eat packaged food products, please READ LABELS! Don't assume anything, because HFCS and other
harmful ingredients are routinely added to all kinds of processed food.
You may be tempted to substitute non-caloric sweeteners for
both sugar and HFCS to save calories.
It's not a bad idea, but if you do, consider stevia or inulin, which are
natural alternatives to saccharine, aspartame and the other artificial options. Better yet, learn to appreciate the natural
sweetness in foods like fruits and sweet vegetables, or use a small amount of
honey, maple syrup or ground dates to sweeten your food. You future will be much sweeter.
A carefully planned program of nutritional supplements
(vitamins, minerals, etc.) can help protect the body from the negative effects
of consuming too much HFCS, and may be used in addition to dietary changes that
limit your intake of HFCS. Beneficial
nutrients include benfotiamine, alpha-lipoic acid, carnosine, pyridoxamine,
acetyl-L-carnitine, vitamin C, and fish oil.
At Wantagh Woods Chiropractic and Wellness, we help our
patients to live healthier lives with nutritional, dietary and lifestyle
counseling in addition to chiropractic adjustments and other means of natural
pain relief. If you are hoping to retain
your vitality well into your senior years, give up HFCS and come in to see
us. You'll be glad you did.
